Electric switch



Dec. 17, 1929.

H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Deo. 21, 192'? Patented Dec. 17, 1929 earn HARRY-.A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON,:1V[ICII1GAN Application led December.

My invention relates to electric switches of r Y the type "disclosedin my application'iSerial `N-mnber 233,874, )filed November "17, '1927. Thev switch disclosed inthel aforesaid applicationemploys'two abutmentsot which at least one and preferably each lis in the form of a spring `ybarrel and of which at least one is a clips 6 which-enter. recesses inthe disc and f are clinched over thedisc. zyFWO currentconductingabutments Z and 8`are"`disposed within the casing', these abutments being i desir- `ablyin the form of'm'etallicf spring'barrels 55 having reduced extensions 9, 10 .which pass through the discand'which are riveted. at

current conductingcontact, a spring in each ltlieir outer ends against'the oterface of the spring -barrel,'a bar for separable engagement with-said abutnients and "having a contact 1 thereon complemental to the aforesaid conftactya ycarrier for said bar and having flexible Y connection therewithA at a placebetween said abut-ments, the-springs in the barrels being -adapte'd to press upon'said carrier in a direction to engage the -bar with the abutments, a ulcrumy for saidcarrier, and aA rotatable handle coupled-with the'ulcrum andserving to shift thefulcrum from either sideto lthe otherof the'springto enable such spring to move Vthe bar into-and outlot engagement `with the-abutments. y

In accordance with my present" invention, I coupleithe"fulcrumi withV aI reciprocabletor longitudinally movable handlewhich determines thelocaticn of the -ulcrum with respect to the carrier.

The invention will be Jfully'ezqalainedin i connection `with the ,accompanying drawing ein which l is a sectional viewv illustrating` the vpreferred"embodiment of the inven-Y tion, the switch shown being closed; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. l but section in Fig. l and also illustratingthe switch in open position; Fig. et is a sectional i View on line H of Fig. '1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. l; andFig. 6 illustrates the carrier and the contact bar operable thereby in separated relation.

The switch structure illustrated includes a cup-shaped metallic casing member 1 whichA is carried by one end of an exteriorly threaded bushing 2 that is secured to the dash board or other mounting 3 by means of two nuts 4c and 4 screwed upon the bushing and clamping the dash board therebetween. A disc of disc, asindicated at'll. v`Bindingrscrewsl2 serveto clamp'currentcon'ductingjwires13 60' into mechanical' and electrical. assembly with *the spring barrels. Metalliccoiled springs 'la are received withinv the spring Abarrels as are'also the inner entdeof the plungers'land :i6 which are engaged :bythe springs" that 65 press outwardlythereon'.

A' bar 217 is adapted' toV -have engagement Vwith vboth abutments 7 "andi 8,v this bar having thereon a currentv Aconducting contact complemental toyeach of said abutments. AAIn thel 70 `preferred embodimentfof the invention, said bar is :metallic throughout, the portions thereonx which are engageable- With the' abutments being integrally `formed. therewith.

vSaid bar is 'i'lexibly connected with a carrier '75r whichis preferably v'inclusive oia metallic l:plate-18 and ablockot insulationlQ' which is clinched .upon'theplateby'the clips 20. Said n. plate'has an extension 21'which is angularly `turned at itsen'dwh'eretheplate is bifur'fso f'cated, as vindicated rat `22. The bar l'7f is formedwith lholes ;23"'therethrough which rejc'eive the" biifurcated vportions of the' plate l 18,

these portions being' broughtv together, after Showing in eleVLf/OII Parts that a-PPQM in they are passed into said holes,asindicated in "S5 ""Fig.' i2, whereby the4 bar .isi permanentlyassembled with.. itsacarrie'r.l The holes Y.23 'are suliciently large to enable the bar to," swivel or have. 4universal movementeupon thev carrier to aen-extent which Vis suliicient' to *.perm-it'the bar to: have'irm and :extended contactfwith ther Contact abutments 7j .and 8 '.whereby" the `"bare is:- enabled I tof establish: eiective llowv- `reusistance connection: between. saidf'c'ontacts to 95 s closeA the circuit thatcontains them. It"l is f obvious thatlthe invention need vnot belimited -to a construction'iwhereinbothabutments 7 insulation 5 closes the cup, this disc beingeanclfglare current?conducting'contacts since Y held against the rim of the cupv by means of the 'bar' 17 may `bepermanently coupled vs ith 100 to bring the contacting bar into engagementv rIhe block of insulation 19 is formed with Y daring recesses 24 which receive the outer, rounded ends of the spring pressed plungers 15 and 16. A longitudinally movable or reciprocable handle 25 has a reduced stem portion 26 which is received in the bore of the bushing 2 and is slidable therein at one side of the casing member, this stem being also guided by the guide formation l that receives the inner end of the stem. Two diametrically opposite slots 27 are cut in the handle stem. An upright rectangular fulcrum forming plate or block 28 is formed with a notch or deep slot 29. This plate is assembled with the handle stem, the parts of the stem between the slots 27 being received in the slot 29 andthe longer margin of slot 29 being received in the slots 27. Said handle and plate are thus kept from relative rotation. The block of insulation 19 is pressed by the springs 14 against the rounded bottom edge of fulcrum plate 27 which, in turn, has its top edge pressed against the upper, end, wall of the metallic cup shaped casing member 1 which holds the fulcrum plate 27 and handle from turning together, to keep the mischievous from tampering with the switch. The lower' and rounded edge of plate 27 constitutes the fulcrum edge on which the carrier turns, the fulcrum being shifted from one side to the other of the places where the springs 14 have effective pressure upon block 19 through the intermediation of the plungers 15 and 16. lVhen the handle is in the innermost position shown in Fig. 1, the springs 14 are effective to turn the carrier with the contacts 7 and 8. When the handle is adjusted to the outermost position shown in F ig. 3, the plungers are upon the other side of the fulcrum to enable the springs to y reverse the movement of the carrier and the contacting portion 17 thereon to open the circuit. The knob portion of the handle delines the innermost position of the fulcrum and the hump 30 on casing member 1 constitutes an abutment for the plate 28 to define the outermost position of the fulcrum.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In an electric switch, the combination with two abutments of which one is a current conducting contact and one is in the form of a spring barrel; of a spring in said spring barrel; a bar for separable engagement with.

said abutments and having a contact thereon complemental to the aforesaid contact; aV

carrier for said bar and having flexible connection therewith at a place between said abutments, the Spring 1n the barrel pressing upon said carrier; a fulcrum for said carrier; and a longitudinally movable handle coupled with the fulcrum and serving to shift the fulcrum from either side to the other of the spring to enable such spring to move the bar into and out of engagement with the abutments.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with two abutments kof which one is a current conducting contact and each of which is in the form of a spring barrel; of a spring in each spring barrel; a bar for separable engagement with said abutments and having a contact thereon complemental to the aforesaid contact; a carrier for said bar and having iiexible connection therewith at a place between said .abutments, the springs in the barrels pressing upon said carrier; a fulcrum for said carrier; and a longitudinally movable handle coupled with the fulcrum and serving to shift the fulcrum from either side to the other of the springs to enable such springs to move the bar into and out yof'engagen'ient with the abutinents.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with aecurrent conducting contact in the form of a spring barrel; of a contact complemental to the aforesaid Contact; a spring in said barrel and sei-vino` to press said complemental Contact into engagement with the first con tact; and a longitudinally movable switch handle operable'upon the complemental contact to separate it from the first contact. y

4. In an electric switch, the combination with a Contact; of a carrier having a contact thereon that is complemental te the aforesaid contact; a fulcrum upony which said car-v rier may be turned, said carrier being spring pressed to effect turning movement thereof; and a longitudinally movable handle coupled with the fulcrum and serving to shift the 'fulcrum to one side or rthe other of the place of effective spring pressure to open or lclose the switch.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscrib my'name.`

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

